Travis Wood goes yard in fourth inning of Cubs 5-2 win in Game 2 of National League Division Series
Travis Wood put his name in the record books Saturday night in Game 2 of the NLDS. Wood was called on with two outs in the top of the fourth when Kyle Hendricks was forced to leave the game after taking a line drive to his right forearm. Wood closed out the fourth inning, maintaining the Cubs 4-2 lead.
With the pitcher’s spot due up second in the bottom of the fourth, Joe Maddon said that … [Read more...]

As the pre-season hype continues to build around the Cubs, Bob Nightengale talked to several of the players, Joe Maddon and Theo Epstein about the desire to be part of the team that ends the longest championship drought in the history of North American sports.
David Ross said it drives all of the players and that winning a World Series with the Cubs is “the holy grail of baseball.”
The front office has used the lure of being part of the team as a recruiting tool for free … [Read more...]

The countdown to the Cactus League is over, the games begin today for the Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs open the exhibition season with a split-squad day for the first time in over a decade. Half of the spring roster with Joe Maddon calling the shots hosts the Oakland A’s at Sloan Park while the other half makes the short trip to Scottsdale to take on the San Francisco Giants with Dave Martinez at the helm.
Wednesday was a short day, Maddon ended practice around 10:30am local time (11:30am CST) … [Read more...]

The front office acquired a player to help the big league team win games during the upcoming season, a new and improved concept for the Cubs. With Dexter Fowler in the outfield mix and last year’s starting third baseman now in Houston, it doesn’t mean Kris Bryant will begin the season on the Major League roster.
Jed Hoyer told the beat writers during a conference call Monday that trading Luis Valbuena was independent of Kris Bryant. Hoyer explained, “We said all along we want to build a team … [Read more...]

On a Saturday afternoon with Bob Costas calling the game for NBC, Ryne Sandberg cemented himself in the storied history of the Chicago Cubs with one of the greatest games in franchise history. That unbelievable afternoon has since been nicknamed ‘The Sandberg Game’ and for many reasons June 23, 1984 will be forever etched in the memory of generations of Cubs fans.
Ryne Sandberg went on to win the NL MVP that season and the Cubs made it to the post-season for the first time since 1945. A new … [Read more...]

Rick Renteria announced Saturday how he would lineup the first four spots in his rotation to start the season. Jeff Samardzija will pitch Opening Day, as previously announced. Edwin Jackson and Jason Hammel will follow Samardzija with Travis Wood filling the fourth spot in the rotation.
Travis Wood will get the ball for the first game of the year at Wrigley Field against the Phillies.
When Renteria announced Samardzija would get the ball on Opening Day, the assumption was that Wood, … [Read more...]

Happy Christmas from the CCO!
It is that time of year again. Time to break out the Cubs’ history books and take a look back at what the franchise and players accomplished in years gone by.
So for those looking for their daily baseball fix after unwrapping what the jolly old elf left under the tree, here are a few facts you may or may not have known about the Chicago National League Ball Club. … [Read more...]

While the Cubs continue working on details to restore Wrigley Field with the city, neighborhood and the rooftop club owners, the team is also dealing with media rights between 720 WGN and WGN TV.
WGN Radio exercised an option in their contract with the Cubs last month to re-negotiate the deal with the team due to "sharply declining ratings because of the Cubs’ struggles on the field." Under the current contract, WGN is paying as much as $10 million per season, and possibly more, to broadcast … [Read more...]

WGN and the Cubs are in the process of finding a replacement for Keith Moreland in the Cubs’ radio booth alongside the great Pat Hughes. A report earlier in the week indicated eight former Cubs and Andy Masur were on the shortlist to fill the vacated spot. At the time, Mark DeRosa was thought to be the frontrunner, especially after he retired from baseball the next day. DeRosa took a job with the MLB Network which left Rick Sutcliffe, Kerry Wood, Dave Otto, Ryan Theriot, Doug Glanville, Todd … [Read more...]

According to a report from Robert Feder, there are eight former Cubs on the shortlist to replace Keith Moreland in WGN’s booth. 720 WGN is on the "fast track" to find a replacement for Moreland to call games alongside of the Voice of the Cubs, Pat Hughes.
Feder reported WGN would like to hire the Cubs’ new color analyst by the start of the Winter Meetings on Dec. 9.
WGN compiled a list of potential candidates on Monday that includes Rick Sutcliffe, Todd Hollandsworth, Dave Otto, Kerry … [Read more...]